This is a blog about reconnecting with humble ingredients and dishes alike that have been forgotten, forsaken, or have fallen into disuse for no good reason at all. When done well, nothing beats the classic goodies.

Thursday, 3 March 2016

THE PERFECT SPAGHETTI

ALLA CARBONARA

At the risk of sounding like a wet
blanket, I think that certain dishes deserve to be revered for their sheer
perfection and simplicity. Carbonara is one such dish that despite
becoming so prolific nearly all over the world, precisely because it is so
simple and delicious, it has has nevertheless fallen victim to countless
mediocre iterations or as I call them "bastardizations".

But why fix something that ain't
broken? Is it because 'they' are not using quality flavoursome ingredients that
bring sufficient flavour to this simple dish? Is it lack of technique? I.e. the
erroneous use of cream to create a sauce-like consistency. Or perhaps it is a
lack of respect for tradition? Food is a language and language is steeped in
culture. It is not merely a label, hence the term 'lost in translation'. Are
you still following me?

Here is some context: Carbonara
originated in Rome at a time when much of Rome's populous was poor. They had to
make do with the cheapest cuts of meat and a few available ingredients, but
above all they had to be tasty. Hence the advent of typical and much loved
Roman dishes like Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Bucatini all' Amatriciana,
Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe, and Tripa alla Romana just to name a
few.

Roman recipes typically make use of
ingredients from the quinto quarto or the "fifth
quarter" of the animal, such as offal. Typical quinto quarto dishes are
tripe, brain, heart, liver, kidneys, tongue, pancreas, and pig's feet.... just to name a delicious few. Also typical are cured pork's cheek or
Guanciale, and cured pork belly or Pancetta which are the central proteins
in Carbonara and Amatriciana sauces.

So where am I going with this? Well, I
guess what I am trying to say is that in the absence of context or cultural
reference points we lose what makes a dish truly special and meaningful. So
given that I am writing this blog from within the Waterloo region or K-W, here
are some tips on getting the right ingredients for creating a flavoursome
Carbonara:

Guanciale /Pancetta- Vincenzo's in
Uptown Waterloo (you can also make due with Brandt's Double Smoked bacon
from Sobey's)

Conestoga Farms Free Run Eggs - Sobey's (these
are some of the best eggs I've had; tasty with creamy dark orange yolks)

Parmigiano Reggiano - Kitchener
Market, Vincenzo's. Just please don't use the pre-grated stuff of
unknown origin. So now that we have the 'what', here's
the "how':

About Me

Since finding my late grandmother's old apron imprinted with five decades of delicious meals, most of them peasant dishes, I wear it every time I cook because it reminds me of how happy she was when cooking. She was an awesome cook. So just as I have reconnected with her tatty old apron, I am now reconnecting with those culinary traditions that bring as much joy as they do heart to everyday cooking.
Disclaimer: All photography is my own unless otherwise specified.